IN LAIMAN’S TERMS #470 – Talking (With Myself) About AEW Dynasty 2024

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Talking (With Myself) About AEW Dynasty 2024

Do you regret not taking the eight hour drive to go see this show?

Hard not to. Though it’s between two considerable car rides of my own as it is, it would’ve been the day after a six-hour each way trip and shortly before a similar one, so going to St. Louis in between would’ve been a lot. But I still had the feeling I should’ve tried, so maybe I’ll have to make sure I get to WrestleDream later this year. I’ve only been to two PPVs in the 20-plus years I’ve been watching, and neither were particularly spectacular. This would’ve changed that trend.

Did they telegraph that Swerve was going to win with his special entrance and costume?

Yes. And I don’t care. At least they’re not repeating the same thing every two minutes. In all fairness, I actually enjoyed WrestleMania this year, or more of it than I usually do, but WrestleMania moments used to just happen. We didn’t have to mention every single time there’s a move that they’re trying to get a WrestleMania moment or that might be their WrestleMania moment. I don’t like feeling like things are forced as an algorithm or taking something that people like and trying so hard to make it a thing that it becomes a cliche. But I don’t think they did that here. Swerve’s face before the second Swerve Stomp also telegraphed it, as the emotion was really starting to hit him, but again, that’s the kind of emotion wrestling is supposed to manifest.

Was the match order of the last three the best, considering there was no break in between?

With that crowd, I don’t think it would’ve mattered. Following Danielson/Ospreay and a tag team ladder match, the crowd was still on fire for Swerve from the entrance to the ending. I know cooldown matches have been necessary at some times and places, but this crowd on this night with this show? Not the case. St. Louis came for exactly the show they knew they were going to see, and being that consistent for five straight hours of wrestling is commendable.

But what about the FTW title match? Didn’t that take away from the enjoyment of the overall spectacular show?

Jericho trademarking the “Jericho Vortex” is just what he does. If we commend the Young Bucks for taking their criticism and amplifying it, I think it might be hypocritical to slam Jericho for doing the same thing.

But wasn’t the angle really disconcerting?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Especially in the segment with him begging to hang out with his friend’s kid. With a show this strong, and a build-up almost as good, this guy reliving his 90s gimmick and trying to give advice and hang out with this kid feels as uncomfortable as it does desperate. Is that the point? Maybe, but I’m not enjoying it at all. Given the crowd reaction, they aren’t either. I think Jericho still has a place in wrestling, but I don’t think it’s as a face, and I also don’t think it’s taking a young star with momentum and bogging them down in a months-long feud that drags on. Ricky Starks is a great example.

Is there anything that can be said about Danielson/Ospreay that hasn’t already been said?

There aren’t enough words to describe how good of a match this was, and the most amazing part of it is, it was projected even by the company itself to be so, let alone all the expectations of the fans going into it. Even Justin Roberts introducing it as an “absolute dream match” puts that much more pressure on it to live up to that. Someone else on this card once had to live up to the moniker of “the greatest match of all time” before it happened, and we all know how that went. This delivered, and we both know how good these two are.

But what about the injury angle? Are you tired of those, especially with people who we know damn well have had shoot injuries?

If that’s what Bryan Danielson wants to do, then that’s what Bryan Danielson is going to do. I understand the temptation for those it distresses, but I don’t get this idea of giving wrestlers backlash for what they decide to do with the time they’re given. They both had to agree with it, and when it is someone like Danielson, Ospreay, Omega, etc., they know what they can do, and they know the risks going into it. However I’ll grant, it is not my favorite thing, as I’ve already had to watch one of these guys retire because of those injuries. At least there wasn’t a seizure sell this time.

What was your favorite small detail of this show? 

Facial expressions. In a business as over the top as professional wrestling, it’s easy to go HAM with the non-verbals. Sometimes that’s even enjoyable and delightful. But then we have Okada’s facial expressions telling a story of its own. We have Adam Cole staring down Wardlow like Lorne Malvo. We have Will Ospreay’s face going from celebratory to deep concern that he went too far and injured his hero. Those details were missing from wrestlers needing to be robotic and stoic for far too long.

Should Toni Storm have retained the title yet again?

Give me all the Toni Storm, give me all of this gimmick, give me all of the everything about it. It’s already impossible for me not to love it as someone with a film degree and an appreciation for the references they keep making, and as the wrestling connoisseur of HAM, I’ve all but renamed the title after her after 2023. I don’t think anyone but Mariah May is taking that title off her, and I’m invested in that story. It’s honestly just good to see Thunder Rosa back and working at full capacity. The women’s division, their presentation, and the time they’re given has improved exponentially this year. Now if they can just figure out feuds that don’t involve one of the two titles…

Should Julia have been squashed after a fantastic title reign as she’s had?

From what I’ve gathered, that was the most she could do in her condition. And even if it wasn’t, Willow had all the momentum built up for her to finally overcome the big moment. They talked so much about Swerve choking when he had the chance for championships, and Willow has been much of the same, her match with Mercedes excepted. It wasn’t quite the level of squash as, say, MJF/Wardlow from a while back, but it was dominant and emphatic in a way I don’t feel tarnished Julia or her title reign in any way.

Now that you’ve had a chance to see it play out, do you still feel the same about them missing a moment by not having Swerve win at Revolution?

I do think they missed a potential moment that night, but I also feel they effectively recaptured it. It didn’t turn out like the Acclaimed a while back, where by the time they won the rematch the shine was partially taken off. It would’ve been amazing if he’d won at Revolution, and it was amazing when he won at Dynasty. I don’t think the former being a triple threat would’ve taken away from it at all, and I don’t know where that idea comes from. Kudos to Samoa Joe for what he was able to do with that title and his own restoring of his reputation in the few months he had the belt. He was exactly what the company needed, and he helped make Swerve’s championship win the best it could be.

What about the opening match? Should that have been first on, or later in the card?

The opening match should be as awesome as the main event. It may have been immediately obvious that Pac wasn’t going to win, but the way they’ve established his character, I don’t think he cares about that. He’s ardently said he wants trouble… excuse me… TROU-BLE. Recently, Callis told Hobbs and Fletcher that he didn’t care if they won, they were out there for a mission. While different in context, Pac seems to have the same thing going on. I think it was in the exact place it needed to be.

Is this the best show you’ve ever seen?

Recency bias is a thing, so I can’t say that at this point. It’s definitely one of the best I’ve ever seen, and I enjoyed close enough to everything that I’d give the parts I didn’t a pass well enough. If this and Revolution are what “restoring the feeling” means, I’m All In.

And the HAM? 

Other than Toni, of course. She wins by default most of the time. I think Adam Cole and his evil stares were so joyously over the top that are hard to turn down, though Jack Perry’s deliciously smug grin gives it a good run for its money. I’ll give it to Adam though, for giving us something to enjoy out of the Firm 2.0. I remember when they first formed, noting their similarity to the Firm’s first promo and hoping it wouldn’t be a fate akin to that. It’s not that bad… yet, but…